Once in a Lifetime
by Emily Rose Gold
Summary: Starts at the end of 7.16. April likes Stark and Stark likes April, so why did she give him the "let's just be friends speech?" Was she really that easy to manipulate?
1. The Pants Aren't Coming Off, Robert!

I would like to begin by telling you guys I am new to Grey's Anatomy. I started watching re-runs on Lifetime and now I'm hooked. When I saw Stark ask April out I went from floored to kiddy in about two seconds. Finally, a romance that was not going to be about hot sex and hot bodies! Boy, was I wrong.

For those that read this and like my writing style I am also Angel of the day. I got locked out, and now cannot access my old account. Lovely isn't it? I hope you enjoy this fanfic, and for those that review please, only constructive criticism.

Disclaimer: I do not own Grey's Anatomy, and only having a little fun with the characters.

* * *

As Dr. Kepner watched Dr. Stark walk away, she felt like she had just swallowed air. When he had first asked her out, she had been so excited. She had been surprised, weary, and confused, but she had also been excited and nervous. So, what if he was twice her age? So what if he was the Grinch? There had been something so surprisingly open in his personality when he asked her out. It had been in the way he would not look her in the eye and in the way, he fiddled with the plushy toy. She had made him nervous, and that in itself made her believe that he really did like her.

What was she thinking doing this to him? He had waited a whole month before he had made a move, and really dinner and a movie at his house was not too bad. Yet still, after what happened with Alex she was weary of men. Since Reed had died, she was cast off into a storm of hormonal assholes that treated her like a little girl because she had never had sex. It was as if they thought that a person never grows up unless they mash body parts with a total stranger.

She kept reminding herself that she was raised differently than these people. From what she had learned so far about her other residents it really was a surprise they were coherent, seemingly responsible doctors. Miranda had to raise herself, Avery was over manipulative because manipulators raised him, and Alex had been burnt so many times that he had turned into a passive-aggressive self-centered jerk. She never really heard Christina talk about her family, but she highly suspected that wolves had raised her. It was as if she could smell fear.

Lexie was the normal one. However, her inability to commit into a serious relationship in which she was not the center of attention was frustratingly annoying. For mere mortals like April, who was seemingly indivisible to the opposite sex, flighty women like Lexie made her seriously wonder if men really did think with their penis.

And yet here was a man who had not made an overtly romantic move on anyone at the hospital. He had been nothing but a grouchy, egotistical man that made everyone cringe at the mere sight of him. He was seen in the same light as Chief Webber: an authority figure not to piss off...unless you were Alex Kerev.

Then suddenly he wasn't anymore. He was just a man, a very successful ordinary looking man, asking out a young woman with whom he worked. From then on April, when it came to Stark, was confused and happy. Now she was still confused but very sad.

April face-palmed and turned away from a retreating Stark, God what was her problem? This past month had been great. They had talked about movies, books, and vacations she wanted to take. He had shared with her his fondness for moose tracks ice cream and true crime novels, and she had explained what it was like growing up on a farm. They were little things, but they meant so much to her.

Now it was all gone because she did not have the backbone to tell her "friends" to shove off. It suddenly occurred to her that if she did not want her "pants to come off" then they would not. Biting her lip, she looked up to where she knew Stark went and suddenly, violently, threw her papers down and shot after him. She would not let whatever was going on between them end this way.

At least not without an explanation.

* * *

Robert sighed as he hung up his lab coat. Once again, a beautiful woman had rejected him. While that was not surprising, what was surprising was that he had no idea why. Usually, they rejected him out right. They did not string him along for a month, listen to his hobbies and thoughts with what could only be described as rapt attention, and then dump him for no good reason.

Still, he wondered. She had been startled when he proposed a movie night at his apartment. April did seem to be very old fashioned; maybe he had made her uncomfortable? Whatever had happened, he bitterly regretted it. He had so enjoyed his time with April and had even hoped that maybe, with her, he could finally find happiness. Running a hand through his hair, he turned around only to find April watching him with wide, sad eyes.

"April?" Robert whispered. She looked so sad, lost, and lonely.

So very young.

Oh god what was he thinking trying to date this slip of a girl. Twenty-eight or not, a doctor or not, she was innocent and pure in a way that other women were not. For god's sake, he was over fifty years old! What had he been thinking?

"Robert," April whispered, her voice cracked and she swallowed. Trying again she said, "You are right. We can't be friends. I don't want to just be friends either...I'm just...I..."

Robert watched as she took a step toward him, her eyes still wide, scared, and impossibly confused. It was like looking at a baby taking her first steps, trying to figure out what this bright, loud place was. It suddenly occurred to him despite April's age, she might not be familiar with dating.

"My pants aren't coming off Robert," April finally said with a determined and confident voice only belied by her confused and frightened eyes.

"Excuse me?" Robert snapped startled and suddenly very confused at the abrupt change in conversation.

"I...my pants aren't coming off," April replied with a click of her tongue. "I don't mind watching a movie with you, but I...it's only been a month and my pants are most assuredly not coming off."

"Well...of course," Robert replied with a confused, half hearted snap, "Whatever made you think they would?

April's mouth fell open and she made a little high-pitched, confused noise that Robert found both endearing and annoying. It sounded like she had tried to say "Huh?" but it ended in a rather undignified squeak.

"April..." Robert whispered smiling slightly and took a step toward her. When it became clear she was just going to stand there and look at him dumbly, he walked to her side and took her hand gently in his. On an impulse, he kissed the underside of her wrist and whispered against her skin, "I am a gentlemen April. I would never do anything you did not want. I respect you far too much as a physician and a woman to do so."

"I..." Again, with the undignified squeak, "Okay..."

"Okay?" Robert pulled back and sighed, "April..." He pulled her closer to him and she came, staring at their entwined hands, "Say something...tell me what you are thinking. What you are feeling."

A heartbeat passed while April looked into Robert's eyes. There was such warmth, hope, and understanding. Yet there was confusion also, and April knew she could help ease that. It was becoming clear that Robert preferred the blunt approach.

"I'm not very good at dating," April confided, "and...Kerev..."

"Oh God, what did that moron do?" Robert groaned squeezing her hand gently.

"He may have said that a dinner and a movie at your apartment meant that my pants would come off," April replied very quickly; like ripping off a band-aid.

"Ah..." Robert muttered, "And you believed him."

It was a statement, not a question but April knew that it hurt him. That was something that she had not meant to do. She had just wanted to get out of the date. When he had called her out on it she had somehow found herself giving him the "let's just be friends speech", and she wished so hard that she could just shut up. She was horrible at damage control.

"Well...he has dated a lot of women," April begin uncertainly, "And I do mean a lot, and I thought he would know what the rules are."

April...there are no "rules"," Robert replied frowning at her slightly, "It is different with different people. You just have to be honest about what you want."

"Oh..." April whispered. Looking up into Robert's eyes she whispered, "I want to turn the clock back twenty minutes and not break up with you."

Robert smiled and very slowly bent down and kissed April on the forehead, "So do I sweetheart."

April smiled shyly, trying not to be too pleased at her new nickname "Well...are we still on for tonight?"

As much as Robert wanted that, he needed time to think, to understand just what happened between them. She was such a fragile flower, and he needed time to understand how to handle her. He needed a game plan.

"Not tonight April," Richard replied with a regretful smile, "I want us to both think about this. To understand what we both want. Then tomorrow we will compare notes and see if we can move forward. Is that alright?"

April frowned and squeezed her eyes shut. Stark held his breath, hoping he had not lost her twice in one night. Finally, she opened them with something like resignation in her eyes.

"Alright, I will see you in the morning then," April whispered. She pulled away from him and in a flash she was out the door and gone. Robert sank to his chair and put his head in his hands.

He was too old for this shit.

* * *

If you wish for me to continue, please review. I am not going to post more if nobody is going to read it. Thank you!


	2. Soap Time

I want to thank all those that reviewed! As long as I have just one person reading this I will keep on updating. I have a special love for these two, and I sincerely hope that they bring him back. Avery may be eye candy, but he has the substance of a flubberworm.

* * *

Chapter 2: Soap Time

Robert watched, excessively in Arizona's opinion, the door. She knew who Stark was looking for and she thought it was the cutest thing she had ever seen. Callie on the other hand thought it was creepy and strange. Mark was like her though, weirdly fascinated and oddly hopeful.

"Hey Robbins," Mark whispered as he stood next to her, "We miss our soap?"

"Nope," Arizona whispered back, eyeing Stark as he once again looked at the door and then checked his watch, "April still hasn't come in."

"Where is that girl," Mark whispered irately, "This is my soap time."

"Forgive the girl," Arizona muttered sarcastically and rolling, "Seriously though, I think that she and Stark had a fight last night."

"What...why?" Mark whispered back, concern laced his voice.

"I dunno, but Kerev looked really guilty when Stark walked away from April," Arizona muttered back.

"Maybe Kerev told him about their "thing"."

"Why should Stark care about that?" Arizona growled, still not pleased with her star pupil on that issue, "I mean that was months ago."

"Yeah, but Stark hates all things Kerev. Maybe he doesn't want to be with anyone Kerev's polluted."

Arizona smacked Mark and glared, "She is not polluted!"

"Hush," Mark growled as Stark eyed his colleagues suspiciously from across the room. Arizona and Mark attempted to appear normal but she knew that they did not have Stark fooled for a second. She distinctly saw him mutter the word "gossips" before he went back to examining his caseload for the day. Arizona tried not to smile, but it was impossible.

"He really doesn't miss a thing that man,"

"Nope," Mark replied, "I...oh hey here she is!"

* * *

Robert knew that Mark and Arizona were talking about him. He always knew when someone was. Nobody had tact in this hospital. Yet, he had no idea what he had done to them for the bitching to start so early. Hell, he had even bid Dr. Robbins a good morning on the elevator. Sighing he looked, once again, toward the door and tried not to appear too nervous. He still did not have a game plan when it came to April. He knew only two things:

1) He was too old for this shit, and...

2) She was the girl of his dreams.

Therefore, he had decided to just wing it. He knew he was bound to undeniably fail, but he was going to try. Then he was going to pray and then try some more. April Kepner was worth a little embarrassment and awkwardness on his part. Maybe if she saw him like that, it would relieve some of her tension and doubts.

Robert was so busy trying to think of ways to approach April he never noticed her coming in. Nor did he notice that she was making a determined beeline for him.

"Dr. Stark," April whispered softly as she laid her hand gently on his forearm.

Jerking up in surprise Robert's eyes met April's and before he thought, he smiled softly. That made Arizona and Mark giggle like two little school girls. Robert, however, had lost interest in them.

"What is it...sw...?Dr. Kepner?" Robert stuttered. My god had he almost called her sweetheart?

"I feel the same as before, do you?" April was blunt and to the point. Robert could tell that she had not had much sleep. There were bags under her eyes, her lips were too red from biting them, and her skin was blotchy.

"You look beautiful today Dr. Kepner," Stark whispered to her, "and yes I feel the same, dinner tonight?"

April smiled her perky, radiant smile and whispered back, "Of course. Meet you at seven."

And then she was gone, leaving Robert feeling rather good about himself.

* * *

"My God, he has it bad," Mark whispered, as he watched Stark's eyes light up when he saw April, "He's in love with her Arizona,"

"I know," Arizona whispered, floored by the amount of emotion he was conveying just with his eyes, "It's a freakin' miracle Mark."

Mark just nodded and ducked his head as April skipped away. He hoped, for Stark's sake and the hospitals, that April was taking this seriously. April could be oblivious and easily led and Mark, despite his dislike of Stark, did not want something bad to happen between them. They were interesting to watch; it was just like watching Masterpiece Theater at work. Besides, he had a feeling that he and Arizona had just stumbled onto something rare: a good, old-fashioned courtship.

* * *

Kerev, was utterly, completely, and irrevocably freaked out. Staring at Stark from across the room Kerev felt like he had awoken into the Twilight Zone. Not only was the attending smiling, but he was whistling as well. Hell, he had even wished Kerev a good morning! What the hell?

He had only been joking with Kepner the night before; trying to psych her out about the Chief Resident position. He really did not think that Stark would try to push the envelope and sleep with her. The guy seemed to have a pretty good grasp on how to handle Kepner romantically. Way better than he had.

Kepner had forgiven him, but he knew there was something missing between them. He had enjoyed Kepner's crush. There was something so innocent in Kepner, something so genuine in how she expressed her feelings. It was a nice change from what he had experienced in the past. When he overheard her and Stark's conversation the night before, he realized that he might have damaged that irrevocably. While he did not exactly like their relationship, he did not want Kepner to become an emotional retard like him.

Therefore, he had resolved to talk to her, but she had locked herself in her room and refused to speak to him. She had even been gone before he had woken up this morning. Now however, he was not sure what was going on. Stark should have been heart-broken and pissy but instead, he was being...nice.

It was wrong, oh so wrong.

Finally, Kerev snapped.

"Dude, what is wrong with you?"

Stark had wished him a good evening as he handed him his caseload, and Kerev could not think of one single reason why Stark was being nice. Not one, so he came to the only logical conclusion: the man was crazy.

"Dr. Kerev," Dr. Stark sighed as he pinched his nose, "How many times do I have to tell you not to address me so informally?"

Alex glared at the doctor and bit his lip. There was no snark, snarl, or snap. In fact, he sounded genuinely curious. Stark was looking at him with a normal, curious expression. Not his normal expression of disdain, and he was actually standing next to him without leaning away from him.

It was then that Alex Kerev knew he was going to die, because this man was going to kill him.

"I gotta go," and before Stark could say anything Kerev turned and practically ran down the hallway. He had to find Meredith and Christina; they would know what to do.

* * *

Robert watched Kerev flee from him with a self-satisfied expression on his face. When he had initially been considering Kerev's punishment for almost ruining his relationship with April, he had thought of many different and painful ways to exact revenge. However, he had still been dazed and happy from his meeting with April and had not noticed that it was Kerev he was bidding a happy good-morning too. When he noticed the freaked out expression on the younger doctor's face, he knew he had found his weapon. It was actually kind of poetic justice. Kerev liked to use mind games against others, now the self-centered ass was going to get his comeuppance.

He had to admit though, he thought Kerev was going to be harder to break then he was turning out to be. Shrugging his shoulders, Robert looked at his next patient chart and made his way to Johnny Nelson, six-year-old femur fracture.

* * *

April was buzzing around the hospital, trying her best to keep from being too annoying to her co-workers, but failing miserably. Christina had actually threatened to take a scalpel to her face, and Lexie wanted to hog-tie her. When she was told that Dr. Stark had requested her assistance in PEDs, April was actually more relieved then excited. She was starting to wonder if her fellow residents were not going to mob her.

"Ah, Dr. Kepner, there you are," Robert said as she walked up to him, "I need your help for a few minutes."

"What about Dr. Stark?" April wondered biting her lip and smiling coyly at the attending. April had always liked men taller than her, and Robert's confidence always made him appear taller than what he was. Now that she realized her mistake, she really did not care. It was only an inch. Besides, it afforded her a wonderful view of his eyes.

"Well, I hate to do this, but I'm going to be late to our date if I do not get some of this paper work done. Since Dr. Kerev is avoiding me like the plague, I was wondering if I could get you to help me?" Robert smiled softly at April. He felt a little bad about asking for her help, but he really wanted to have dinner with her. Besides, he would never pass up an opportunity to spend time with April.

Rolling her own eyes, she picked up a stack of his paper work and started towards his office. Realizing that Robert was just staring at her, she smirked and looked over her shoulder.

"Coming, Dr. Stark?" April's eyes were mischievous and teasing. Her smile was warm and inviting, and Robert had to fight a very strong impulse to pull her into his arms and kiss her until she could no longer breathe.

"Of course, sw...Dr. Kepner," Robert replied, stuttering over the word "sweetheart". He was trying hard not to be unprofessional, but there was just something about that woman that made him wonder why decorum at work was a good thing.

April's smile widened and she practically skipped to his office. Robert watched her with soft eyes and a small smile as he followed his irrepressible girlfriend.

Mark witnessed the entire exchange and before they were out of sight, he was already furiously texting Arizona to update her. If there was one thing the two of them shared, it was an appreciation of a good love story.

* * *

I love humor in a love story. Besides I couldn't get the idea that Arizona and Mark were watching and giggling like school children. They need something to bond them. I got so sick of her "I don't want to co-parent with Mark" attitude. Personally, it's her punishment for walking out on Callie...again.


End file.
